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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sophie Kevany

Artificial light on coastlines lures small fish to their doom, coral reef study finds

Mountain Otemanu in Bora Bora, French Polynesia. There are many colored artificial lights in the shore reflecting in the flat calm sea water.
Artificial light should be seen as a threat to marine animal populations and ecosystems, says the study’s author. Photograph: MaFelipe/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Artificial light shining from coastlines around the world is acting like “a midnight fridge” full of tasty snacks, threatening young fish who can be drawn to it and who are then eaten by predators also attracted by the brightness, according to a study.

It has long been established that light pollution hampers people’s ability to see the night sky and harms migrating birds, insects and other animals. But its impact on marine ecosystems has rarely been taken into account, said Jules Schligler, the lead author of the study at the international coral ecosystem research centre in Mo’orea, French Polynesia.

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